One By One
by Theoretician
Summary: This year, we have more than just a haunted house for Halloween…


**Title: **One By One

**Author:** Mademoiselle Juko Pax-Prime  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG+  
><strong>Summary: <strong>This year, we have more than just a haunted house for Halloween…  
><strong>ContentWarnings:** My own interpretations of the Autobots' holoforms. A horror story.  
><strong>Feedback:<strong> I would love lots of feedback! Because feedback=a happy, better writer.  
><strong>Spoilers:<strong> None.

**Disclaimer:** I do not and never will own Transformers. This was made purely for fun.

"So this is a yearly thing?" An attractive young woman spoke to Jack Darby. He nodded.

"Yeah, it's one of the highlights of living in such a small town," he said. "We can do this sort of thing."

The woman nodded, tossing her dark brown hair out of her face. Streaks of pink and blue flashed in the dying sunlight. Her electric blue eyes roved over the group of kids in front of them, narrowing slightly.

"Explain the significance of this "Halloween" to me again," said a tall, sturdily built man with short red hair. He had the same vibrant blue eyes as the brunette woman.

"Well, it's not exactly significant anymore," said Jack. "It's just fun, that's all."

"Yeah, and Ratchet knows all about fun." The woman rolled her eyes. The red-haired man scowled at her. Miko Nakadai bounced up and down on her heels.

"Ooh, I'm so excited!" she said. "I love the haunted house! It's so much fun!" She turned to the broad black man behind her. "You're going to be so scared, Bulkhead!"

"I don't get scared," the man said. Miko rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, sure," she said. Rafael Esquivel eyed the town hall with some apprehension.

"Last year my mom said that I was too little to go," he said slowly. "Maybe…" Miko smacked him on the shoulder.

"It'll be fun, Raf!" she said cheerfully. "And you'll have Bumblebee and everyone with you!" She gestured to the young man standing beside Rafael. He was thin, with wavy blond hair and big blue eyes.

"Yeah, Raf," the brown-haired woman said. "I don't get scared. Neither does Optimus."

"Brave words, Arcee," said a very tall, very serious looking man with broad shoulders, well-muscled arms, and thick black hair. He had the same bright blue eyes as his comrades. "Do not worry, Raf. None of this is real. You will never be in true danger." Rafael looked a bit less nervous.

It was Halloween, and they were waiting in line for the haunted house in the Jasper town hall. Jack, Miko and Rafael had planned to go without their Guardians, but they had each insisted on coming. Bumblebee had convinced Optimus to come, and Ratchet tagged along because he had nothing better to do. The Autobots had "manifested solid human forms" just for the occasion, and even dressed them up for Halloween. Arcee was wearing a short black dress, cat ears, a tail, and she had cat-eye make-up. Bumblebee was a pirate and Bulkhead was a mafia boss. Optimus and Ratchet had opted for more serious costumes; a police officer and a surgeon. The kids had each dressed up as well; Jack was a zombie, Miko was a vampire, and Rafael was a mad scientist.

The line moved forward, and Jack's group was the next to go in. A Grim Reaper stood at the entrance, holding a sickle dripping with fake blood. His face was hidden by his huge black hood.

_"You!" _he boomed, pointing at Arcee. _"Are you ready to be terrified?"_ Arcee looked at him, looking entirely unfazed.

"It depends," she said. "What have you got in store?"

_"Fright beyond your wildest dreams!" _the Reaper growled. Arcee smiled.

"Bring it on." The Reaper lowered his hand and gripped his sickle once more. He stood still as a statue for a moment, then pushed open the town hall doors.

_"Enter the realm of terror,"_ he said softly. Arcee led the way into the darkness.

As soon as they were inside, the door closed with a bang, and Jack heard Rafael squeak. The group stood there for a moment, and then Arcee whispered, "Let's go!" They walked forward, trying not to bump into anything. They reached another doorway draped in black cloth, and pushed through it.

They were in the brightly lit lobby of a hospital, and a pretty young woman was sitting behind the desk. Jack recognized her as one of the office aids at his school. She smiled at the group.

"Ah, visitors! Will you be staying long?" she asked.

"I do not believe so," said Optimus.

"Oh, I think you will!" She leapt to her feet and came around the counter, holding a roaring chainsaw and laughing a high-pitched, evil laugh.

"Move, move, move!" Arcee yelled over the chainsaw. She grabbed Jack by the arm and dragged him through the opposite doorway. Jack and Miko were laughing hysterically, and Rafael was shaking. Optimus, Ratchet, Bulkhead, Arcee and Bumblebee did not look amused.

"What kind of psycho place is this?" Bulkhead asked.

"It's a haunted house!" Miko said. Then the lights went out. "Hey!"

"I can't see anything!" Rafael cried.

"Calm down!" Ratchet said. "Walk forward. There must be a door that we can go through." The group moved forward slowly, feeling their way along the walls. The hallway was narrow, and the walls were freezing.

Suddenly, Jack's hand touched something that wasn't wall. It was warm and fleshy.

Like a human arm.

He recoiled, and grabbed someone else's arm.

"What, Jack?" Arcee's voice came through the darkness.

"Nothing," he muttered. "Almost tripped, that's all." He looked around, but he still couldn't see a thing.

Then Miko screamed. Not a "just-to-scare-my-friends" scream, a real scream. Everyone stopped.

"Miko!" Bulkhead said. "Miko, what happened?"

No reply. "Miko!" Bulkhead shouted.

"We'll go back to the entrance and get some help," said Ratchet. "Optimus, would you get the door?" There was fifteen seconds of absolute silence.

"It's locked," Optimus said in a low voice. "I cannot open it."

"What?" There was a thud as Bulkhead threw his full weight against the door. "Scrap!"

"Come on, let's get through the rest of the house," Arcee said. "Then we can get to the exit, and find someone to help find Miko." There was the sound of a door opening, and dim light flooded the hallway. The group moved into the next room. Rafael seemed to be crying.

Jack looked around, and saw blood smears across the walls and floor. The scarlet marks were glistening, and flies buzzed eagerly around them.

Arcee looked at the blood. "Ratchet…is this real?" Ratchet leaned closer to a blood smear and squinted at it.

"Perhaps," he said slowly. Rafael moved closer to Bumblebee's holoform.

"Everyone stick together," said Optimus. "I have the terrible feeling that this is no longer a game." Arcee put her hand on Jack's shoulder, and took Bumblebee's hand. Rafael slipped his hand into Bumblebee's free hand, and Ratchet placed his hand on Arcee's back. Optimus kept close to Ratchet, but did not touch him. Bulkhead put his hand on top of Rafael's head.

"I think we missed something," Arcee said. "Shouldn't someone be jumping out at us with a hammer or a hacksaw or something?"

"I don't know. Let's just get to the next room," Bulkhead replied. They made their way through the door opposite them, and came to another pitch black hallway. They got halfway down it when Optimus spoke.

"Sound off," he said.

"Arcee here."

"Jack too."

"Bulkhead's still with you."

"Ratchet."

"R-Raf here."

"Bumblebee, snap three times if you are still with us," Optimus said. There were three snaps. "Good. Continue on, quickly." They hurried through the hallway, and entered a room lit by fake torches. Arcee cried out in shock.

"Where's Jack?" she asked frantically. "I just had my hand on his shoulder!" She spun on the spot. "He's gone!" Ratchet tried the door that they had just come through.

"It's locked," he said. They stood and stared at each other for a few seconds. Rafael was crying even harder.

"We've got to get out of here," Arcee said softly. She took Bumblebee's hand again. Ratchet hesitated, then took Arcee's hand in his own. Optimus rested his hand on Ratchet's shoulder, and Bulkhead grasped Rafael's other hand. The six of them walked to the next door, and paused in front of it.

"No one let go," Arcee whispered. Bulkhead pushed the door open, and led the way into the fourth dark hallway. When the door closed behind them, Arcee began to hum. Bulkhead followed suit. Rafael added his shaky hum a few seconds later. Realizing what they were doing, Ratchet and Optimus joined in. Even Bumblebee managed to bring up a very quiet "hmmm" sound.

There was a creak as Bulkhead opened the door. There was no light in this room, but when the door closed, Rafael gagged.

"What's that awful smell?" he cried, coughing.

"What?" asked Bulkhead.

"You can't smell it?" Rafael sounded like he was trying not to breathe in.

"Turn on your olfactory sensors," said Ratchet. There was a few moments of silence.

"Oh, Primus!" Arcee gasped. "That's awful!"

"I've never smelled anything like this," Ratchet said thoughtfully. "What is it, Rafael?"

It was silent.

"Raf?" Arcee called into the darkness.

"Rafael, speak to us," Optimus said.

There was no reply.

"Oh, no," Ratchet said.

"Sound off," Optimus said instantly. "Bumblebee, snap three times."

"Arcee."

"Bulkhead onboard, Optimus."

"Ratchet here."

Three snaps.

"Everyone, link hands with another," Optimus commanded. Arcee tightened her grip on Bumblebee, and she felt Ratchet squeeze her hand. "Ready?"

"Ready," Bulkhead replied.

"Watch your step." The five holoforms walked forward, and Bulkhead opened the next door.

This hallway was cold, and smaller than the last one. There was only room for them to walk single file, and even then Arcee's shoulders scraped against the walls. Ratchet was forced to transfer his hand to her shoulder. Everything was silent, except for the tap of Arcee's heels against the hard floor.

The door at the end of the hallway opened, and they entered a small room lit by a single light bulb. A plastic knife lay forgotten on the floor.

"Is everyone here?" asked Optimus. He looked around and counted three other holoforms.

"No," Arcee said. Her voice was shaking. "Bulkhead's gone."

"We can't linger, Optimus," said Ratchet. "We have to get out of here. Now." Optimus nodded, and the remaining four crossed the little room to the next door. This time, Arcee led the way.

Once the door clicked shut, Arcee began to sing in Cybertronian. It was a song that she remembered her mother singing to her when she was a sparkling. It was a well-known lullaby, one that had always comforted her. Bumblebee's hand tightened on hers. Optimus' deep voice joined Arcee's higher one, and soon Ratchet's voice tied the little trio together.

This hallway was longer than all the others, but much wider. Arcee could have stretched her arms out and spun around. Of course, she did not. She refused to let go of Bumblebee's hand.

Suddenly, three voices became two.

Arcee stopped, and Bumblebee almost ran into her.

"Ratchet?" she whispered. "Optimus?"

"I am here, Arcee," said Optimus. She detected a tremor in his normally calm voice. "Continue on, quickly. We must leave this place." Arcee nodded, even though Optimus could not see her. She practically dragged Bumblebee down the hallway, and yanked the door open.

"Scrap!" The next room was just as dark. "There's no light in here!"

"Arcee, you are still here, I presume. Bumblebee?"

There were three snaps. "Good." Optimus' hand found Arcee's in the darkness, and squeezed it gently. "It appears that we are the only three left. I do not know how much more of this haunted house there is, but it is clear that it is not a game. This is real danger. We must take every precaution necessary. No one is to let go of another's hand. I _will_ get you out and we _will_—"

Optimus suddenly stopped talking. The pressure on Arcee's hand vanished.

"Optimus?" Arcee said. She knew that only silence would answer her. "Oh, my Primus. Bumblebee, let's get the frag out of here. Right now." Bumblebee grasped her hand so hard that she would have winced if she had not been terrified.

The two of them ran to the next hallway. Arcee prayed silently to Primus in her mind: _Please let this all be fake, please don't take Bumblebee away, please, Primus, help us!_ The heels that were part of her holoform's costume went _click click click click_ against the floor.

That was the only sound she heard. Arcee stopped. Her hand was empty. She clenched it into a fist. Her breathing was ragged, and she was shaking from head to toe. She backed up until she felt the wall against her back, and slid down to the ground. She did not even bother calling out Bumblebee's name; she knew he was gone. Just like the others. Just like Miko, Jack, Rafael. Just like Bulkhead and Ratchet and Optimus. She was alone.

Then, she heard footsteps. Quick, harried footsteps. None of the Autobots or the children walked with that kind of gait. Arcee leaned forward.

"Hello?" she whispered.

No one answered.


End file.
